Portable string of sound producing devices



y 1949. a. J. NICORVO 2,470,047

PORTABLE STRING OF SOUND PRODUCING DEVICES Filed June 23, 1948 INVENTOR[Fly/A J. NICd/EVO ATTORNEY Patented May 10, 1949 PORTABLE STRING OFSOUND PRODUCING DEVICES Edwin J. Nicorvo, South Amboy, N. J.

Application June 23, 1948, Serial No. 34,676

8 Claims.

This invention relates to novel devices and more particular to audibledevices which find particular use at. the Christmas season. In one ofits more particular aspects the invention is directed to portablestrings or sets of electrically operated bells especially useful in theChristmas season, on Christmas trees, over fire places, on

the outside of homes, etc., for either or both audible and visualdecorative purposes and also to novel parts thereof.

Some illustrative embodiments of the invention are shown in theaccompanying drawings.

wherein Fig. 1 is an essentially diagrammatic view, with the bell andsupport assembly shown in section of one of the embodiments, of theinvention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of an individual assembly of bell, supportand electrical actuator.

Fig. 3 is a demountable and readily replaceable modification of theindividual assembly-shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a view showing a socket and the screw base for supporting andelectrically coupling thereto the demountable modification shown in Fig.3.

Fig. 5 is an essentially diagrammatic foreshortened view showing thesolenoid windings in parallel relationship to each other.

As shown in Fig. 1, there is provided a male plug or connector I whosehousing carries a pair of male contacts l2 and I3; and a female plug l4whose housing l carries a pair of contacts l6 and I1. The ends of anelectric conductor l8 are supported by the respective plugs l0 and I4and are electrically connected to the respective contacts l3 and I6.Located in the plug housing H and having one terminal thereofelectrically connected to the contact I2 is an interrupter H of suitabledesign. The ends of an electric conductor 20 are supported by therespective housings H and I5 and are electrically connected to therespective contacts l2 and H. A plurality of windings 2| of individualsolenoids 2| are electrically connected in series and to the conductorl1 and to the other terminal of the interrupter l In one of thepreferential embodiments of the invention there are employed five ofsaid solenoids only one complete one being shown in Fig. 1 and thewindings of the other four however being illustrated. Each set ofwindings 2| is wound around a hollow cylinder support 23 having anopening therethrough. Extending through said hollow cylinder 23 is anelongated movable core 24 having a pair of stop flanges 25 and 26.Supported by the conductors which extend from the 2 termini of theindividual solenoid windings 2| is a dielectric housing which isessentially a cylinder 21, a closure cap 28 secured each end thereof.Struck out of and depending from the lower cap 28 is an ear 29 having anopening therethrough.

A bell 30, having a free swinging striker 3| suspended from the upperpart thereof, is disposed below the car 29 and has a loop support 32 atthe central upper end thereof. A ring connector 33 extends through saidloop 32 and the opening in said ear 29 so that said bell 30 and striker3| are supported for free swinging motion. Coupled to the lower end ofsaid movable core 24 is one end of a flexible string or wire 34 whoseother end is coupled to one side of the bell 30, or it may be connecteddirectly to the striker 3|. Any other type of bell as striker assemblymay be used as for example the conventional spherical bell with ballstriker therein generally termed a sleigh bell. When such a bell is usedit is simply string suspended from the core 20. A plurality of andpreferable five of said assemblies as shown in Fig. 2 and a crosssection of which is shown in Fig. 1 are employed, with the windingsthereof being in series and in a circuit such as that shown in Fig. 1.

Such a string or set of bells is portable, may be arranged on thebranches of a Christmas tree or in any other desirable location. Thenthe plug I0 is grasped by one hand and the male contacts |2 and I3 maybe inserted into an ordinary live female plug generally found in thebase-board 0! a home or the like to become electrically coupled with asgurce of electric energy. Passage of current will take place in thecircuit from said source of electric energy through contact l3 conductorl8, the windings 2|, the interrupter l9 and contact 2, back to thesource of energy. In the course of passage of current through thewindings 2| of said circuit the core 24 of each of the sole noids isactuated upwardly. Upon upward movement of the core 24 there is anupward pull on the string 34 which is transmitted to the bell 30 toswing the bell about its loop 32, whereupon the free swinging striker 3|of the bell 30 swings against the bell 30 to provide a musical note orring. The interrupter IS in the circuit serves to make and break thecircuit at desired intervals and the number of makes and breaks per unitof time may be controlled by the particular design of the interrupterl9.

With the type of wiring diagram shown in Fig. 1 it is possible toconnect a number of strings to each other by inserting the male contactsof one string into the female contacts of another string.

While the windings 2| of any string are in series they are inparallelacross the main circuit. If desired, a simple two wire systemmay be employed with each of the windings 2| and the male and femalecontacts beingin parallel relationship to each other. In that system,like the system shown in Fig. 1, the windings 2| are in series with theinterrupter Ill and the contacts l2 and I3, but diflers from the systemof Fig. 1 in that the windings 2| are in parallel with each other.

It is also within the purview of this invention to provide a pluralityof electric sockets 35, which as shown may be of the screw type 38. Theymay be substituted in the positions of the solenoid windings in thevarious circuits hereinbefore described. When such arrangements areemployed there may be coupled with said sockets. novel devices. Thenovel devices consist of a solenoid assembly which may be located in ascrew base 40 with one end of the winding 2| being connected to acentral contact 4| of the screw base and insulated from a screw contactsleeve 42 electrically connected to the other end of winding 2|. Thesleeve 42 terminates in a knurled flange 43 carrying a depending loop44, extending through the loop 32 of the bell II. The assembly as shownin Fig. 3, may be screwed directly into 'the socket 36 in the samemanner as in the ordinary incandescent lamp screwed into its socket.

Also if desired, the individual sockets I may each contain a circuitinterrupter I! and in such a case, I prefer that these sockets bearranged in parallel relationship to each other. The circuitinterrupters l9 when so employed are plurality of bell elements, strikerelements for said bell elements, means movable uponthe electricalenergization of said windings, said means other and with said contactsand said circuit differently timed so that the various bells areactuated to ring at different times. The interrupters is used inthevarious modifications of this inventionare electrothermal responsive andare preferably of the bimetallic type which due to the rise intemperature of their bimetallic element upon the passage of current inthe circuit including the solenoid windings. automatically break thatcircuit, and upon cooling automatically make the circuit. For mypurposes, I may employ those of the well-known Twinklebutton type.

While the invention has been described in detail it is not to be limitedthereby, because various changes and modifications may be made therein.

I claim:

1. A portable electric decorative set of bells comprising a connectorhaving a pair of electrical contacts capable of being eleetricallyconnected to an ordinary live electric female plug in a home, a pluralityof solenoid windings, a plurality of bell elements, striker elements forsaid bell elements, means movable upon the electrical energization ofsaid windings, said means associated with said bell elements and strikerelements for moving one of said elements relative to the other, circuitmaking and breaking means, each of said windings, said circuit makingand breaking means and said contacts being in series, said circuitmaking and breaking means being automatically operable to'make and breakthe circuit made when said contacts are electrically connected to saidlive female plug.

2. A portable electric decorative set of bells comprising a connectorhaving a pair of electrical contacts capable of being electricallyconnected to an ordinary live electric female plug in a home, aplurality of solenoid windings, a

making and breaking means, said circuit making and breaking means beingautomatically operable to make and break the circuit made when saidcontacts are electrically connected to said live female plug.

3. A portable electric decorative set of bells comprising a connectorhaving a pair of electrical contacts capable of being electricallyconnected to an ordinary live electric female plug in a home, aplurality of solenoid'windings in parallel with each other, a pluralityof bell elements. striker elements for said bell elements, means movableupon the electrical energization of said windings, said means associatedwith said bell elements and striker elements for moving one of saidelements relative to the other, circuit making and breaking means, eachof said windings, said circuit making and breaking means and saidcontacts being in series, said circuit making and breaking means beingautomatically operable to make and break the circuit made when saidcontacts are electrically connected to said live female plug.

A portable electric decorative set of bells comprising a connectorhaving a pair of electrical contacts, a plurality of solenoid windings,a plurality of bell elements, striker elements for said bell elements,means'movable upon the electrical energization of said windings, saidmeans associated with said bell elements and striker elements for movingone of said elements relative to the other and electrothermal responsivemeans for automatically making and breaking an electric circuit, each ofsaid windings being in series with said electrothermal responsive meansand said contacts.

5. A portable electric decorative set of bells comprising a male plughaving a pair of electrical contacts capable of being inserted into anordinary electric female plug in a home, a plurality of solenoidwindings, a plurality of bell elements, striker elements for said bellelements, means movable upon the electrical energization of. saidwindings, said means associated with said bell elements and strikerelements for moving one of said elements relative to the other,electrothermal responsive means for automatically making and breaking anelectric circuit, said electrothermal responsive means being coupledwith said male plug, each of said windings being in series with saidelectrothermal responsive means and said contacts.

6. A portable electric decorative set of bells comprising a male plughaving a pair of electrical contacts capable of being inserted into anordinary electric female plug in a home, a plurality of solenoidwindings parallel with each other, a plurality of bell elements, strikerelements for said bell elements, means movable upon the electricalenergization of said windings, said means associated with said bellelements and striker elements for moving one of said elements relativeto the other, electrothermal responsive means for automatically makingand breaking an electric circuit, said electrothermal responsive meansbeing coupled with said male plug, each of said windings being in serieswith said electrothermal responsive means and. said contacts.

7. A portable electric decorative set of bells comprising a connecterhaving a pair of electrical contacts capable of being electricallyconnected to an ordinary live electric female plug in a home, aplurality of solenoid windings, a plurality of housings, said solenoidwindings disposed in said housings, a plurality of hell elements,striker elements for said bell elements, means movable upon theelectrical energization of said windings, said bell elements swingablysupported by said housings, said means operatively connected to saidbell elements for actuating said bell elements upon movement of saidmeans, circuit making and breaking means, each of said windings being inseries with said contacts and said circuit making and breakingmeans,said circuit making and breaking means being automatically.

operable to make and break the circuit made when said contacts areelectrically connected to said live female plug,

-8. A portable electric decorative set of bells comprising a connecterhaving a pair, of elec- 6 trical contacts, a plurality of solenoidwindings, a plurality of housings, said solenoid windings located insaid housings, a plurality of bell ele ments, striker elements for saidbell elements, said bell elements being swingably supported by saidhousings, means movable upon the energization of said windings, saidmeans operatively connected to said bell elements for actuating saidbell elements upon movement of said means, and electrothermal responsivemeans for automatically making and breaking an electric circuit, each ofsaid windings being in series with said electrothermal responsive meansand said contacts.

mwm J. NICORVO.

REFERENCEQ CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

